My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Cliff Lee throws his third straight complete game shutout as he two-hits the BoSox, leading the Phils to a 5-0 win.

Cliff Lee throws his third straight complete game shutout, the first Phils’ pitcher to do so since Robin Roberts did it in 1950, as he threw a two-hitter against Boston, as the Phils defeat the Red Sox, 5-0.

The Phils took the lead in the second as, with one man on, and with two men out, Dom Brown hits a two-run home run, his fifth home run of the season, knocking in Shane Victorino, who was safe at first on a force out, 6-4, as Ryan Howard, who had earlier singled, was forced out at second base, then moved up to second on Josh Beckett’s throwing error on a pick-off attempt, giving the Phils a 2-0 lead. The Phils then took a 3-0 lead in the fifth as, with a man on third, and with one man out, Cliff Lee helped his own cause by hitting a sacrifice fly, knocking in Brown, who had earlier doubled, then went to third on Carlos Ruiz’s fly out to right. The Phils then made it a 5-0 lead in the sixth as, with one man on, and with two men out, Victorino hits a two-run home run of his own, his ninth home run of the year, scoring Placido Polanco, who had earlier singled. That would end up being the final score as Lee pitched a complete game shutout on the BoSox, allowing only four men to reach base, Kevin Youkilis with a lead-off walk in the second, before going nowhere, Marco Scutaro with a lead-off single in the sixth, ending Lee’s no-hit bit, before being wiped out at second base on a Beckett’s doubleplay grounder, 6-3, Dustin Pedroia with a lead-off walk in the seventh, before being wiped out at second base on a one-out Youkilis doubleplay grounder, 6-4-3, to end the inning, and a lead-off double in the eighth by Darnell McDonald, who then stayed at second base as Lee got Jason Veritek to ground out to short, 6-3, for the inning’s first out, then struck out Mike Cameron, looking, for the inning’s second out, before ending the inning by getting Scutaro to ground out to third, 5-3. Lee then ended the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, as he got Pedroia to lined out to third for the game’s final out.

Cliff Lee (9-5, 2.66) got the win as he pitched his third straight complete game shutout, the first Phils’ pitcher to do so since Hall of Famer Robin Roberts did it back in 1950, as he gave up just two hits and two walks, while he struck out five BoSox batters. Josh Beckett (6-3, 2.20) took the lost as he went six innings, giving up five runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out one. Franklin Morales and Bobby Jenks pitched two scoreless innings, giving up a hit (Jenks) and a walk (Jenks), while striking out four (two batters apiece) between them.

The Phils had only six hits in the ballgame, with Dom Brown leading the team with two hits, a double and a home run, kn0cking in two runs. Placido Polanco (Single), Chase Utley (Single), Ryan Howard (Single) and Shane Victorino (Home Run, 2 RBIs) had the other four Phils’ hits. Cliff Lee knocked in the other Phil run with a sac fly.

The Phils (50-30, 1st NL East) will continue their interleague play series with the Red Sox (45-33, 2nd AL East) with a night game tonight at Citizens Bank Park. The game will start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Vance Worley (2-1, 2.83), who is coming off a no-decision against the A’s on June 24, as he pitched six shutout innings, giving up a hit and four walks, while striking out four, in the Phils’ walk-off, 1-0 win. He will be trying to pitched the Phils to their third straight win. The Red Sox will try to counter with John Lackey (5-6, 7.36), who is coming off a lost against the Padres on June 22, as he went only three and one-third innings, giving up five runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out four, in the BoSox’s 5-1 lost. He will be trying to come back from his last start, while trying to keep the Phils from winning the series. The Phils will be going for the series win against the BoSox.

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